Whispers to an Empty Wind
This is a story about Assombrir and his lover Willpower, written by Starlight365. This is a pretty sad story, about how Assombrir felt 12 years after Willpower's death... But here it is. Whispers to an Empty Wind Talons clicked, the soft sound echoing in the desolate silence. A black shape, almost invisible in the shadows that were thrown upon the stone beneath him, slid across the cave, his luminescent orange eyes clouded with thought. His wings, scattered with silvery scales that gleamed like stars, were folded against his sides. The silver moonstone pendant around his neck bumped into his chest with every step he took. His long tail dragged behind him, dark as the night. “Twelve years,” he muttered. Looking up at the ceiling, the dragon repeated, “Twelve years... It’s been so long...” Shutting his eyes, he remembered a voice. A voice, sweet and kind, saying, Assombrir... A face materialized in his mind: a purple NightWing, her light blue eyes bright and hopeful. There was a necklace around her neck: the same moonstone pendant that Assombrir wore. “Willpower...” Assombrir mumbled quietly, rubbing the moonstone. Scenes flashed through Assombrir’s mind. The ominous hissing of the dragonbite viper, its lithe serpentine body coiled like rope upon the sand dune; the same viper slithering down the dune, its fangs bared; the horror within Assombrir as the viper’s fangs met its mark; The surprise that flashed in Willpower’s eyes as she fell to the sand, sending a cloud of sand into the air from impact; a starburst of black venom forming where the snake bit her, slowly spreading; Assombrir killing the snake before it could cause more damage; kneeling next to the dying Willpower, watching her fall; clear, crystalline tears forming in Willpower’s eyes as she realized that her life was ending; shaky talons taking the pendant off, offering it to the horrified Assombrir; a whisper, heavy with sadness, admitting that she liked him, the same way he liked her; her light blue eyes clouding over as the venom, which had marched to her heart, took her life; her final whisper of words still in Assombrir’s mind... “I’m scared, Somber... I don’t want to die... Whatever happened to us, all the hopes we had?” Assombrir groaned slightly, clutching his head. “No... Willpower...” More scenes came, unbidden. A grieving Assombrir quietly digging a grave for his friend right where she died, nearby an oasis; nudging Willpower’s broken body forward, watching as she fell with a thump into the grave; covering up Willpower’s body for the final time, watching as her elegant NightWing features disappear in the sand... Making a large slash-mark in the sand to make it show where she was buried; going to the oasis to take two sticks and string, whittling a cross to mark her final place of rest. Tears formed in Assombrir’s eyes. His talons clenched, pressing the pendant deep into his palm. A tear droplet landed on the ground under Assombrir, the salty water reflecting the light from the entrance. Another followed, rolling down the NightWing’s dark cheek. “Why... Why did you have to die, Willpower?” No answer came to him. No miraculous resurrection of his lover occurred, her spirit coming to sit before him. The scientist was left alone in the cave with its silence. Opening his orange eyes again, the NightWing looked down at the pendant he was clutching. It was smooth, circular, and polished to perfection, like a blue-tinted moon. The silver orb held flashes of the same light blue that was captured within Willpower’s eyes, one of the reasons it fit her so well. He remembered, once again, where she died. His eyes widened as he realized what he had to do. Turning, he looked out the exit to the cave, deep within Jade Mountain. “I will,” he hissed, a small wisp of smoke rising from his nostrils. “Willpower... I’m coming.” Taking flight, the NightWing flew away from Jade Mountain, leaving it for the first time since Willpower’s death. Some SkyWings noticed him, pointing at him and talking to each other about him, but none of them pursued him. Good. Assombrir hissed slightly, not keen on getting attacked by SkyWings.The less interference, the better... Willpower, I’m coming for you! He flew for two days and two nights, doggedly propelling himself forward despite his low stamina from a long time of inactivity. Flying directly from Jade Mountain, he went through the Scorpion Den. He stopped there, trading with a few SandWing merchants. He bought a tapestry there; it was a picture of the desert sky at night. There was a jagged auburn boulder-like mountain at the bottom of the picture. Up above, the three moons hung in the sky, two of them being merely crescents thinner than Assombrir's claw. Several silver stars were scattered across the dark sky, beautiful and priceless. There were a few shooting stars, too. Two of them crossed, making a cross-like shape. Right when he saw it, he knew it was for her. It took a while, but he managed to haggle with the merchant, buying it for 50 rubies. He also bought an actual cross, one that would last. Taking flight once more, Assombrir carefully scanned the sand dunes beneath him. He knew it was around there somewhere... Had someone taken it out? Fear filled him at the thought. No one would do that! To his immense relief, he saw a rough wooden cross sticking out of the sand. He slowly landed in front of it, his talons landing with a thump in the sandy floor. He looked at the cross, recognizing it easily. It was his, all right... And it was slightly tipped over, more sand pooling at its base. Quietly, he remembered Willpower, cherishing every single good experience he had with the NightWing. He slowly placed the new cross down next to the original, not having the heart to move it. Carefully, he draped the tapestry onto the cross, fitting it and wrapping the rope hanger over the cross like it was a necklace. Backing up, he looked down at where he knew his friend was buried. As a warm wind blew over him, shifting the sand at his feet, he whispered four words. "I love you, Willpower..." Category:Content (Starlight365) Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Fanon) Category:Fanfictions (Completed)